Being There
by NarutoGuurl
Summary: After returning to the village after getting Sauske back, Shikamaru has to tell Ino what happened, and where Choji is exactly. InoShika .


Being There  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, sadly.  
  
Summary: After returning to the village after getting Sauske back, Shikamaru has to tell Ino what happened, and where Choji is exactly. Ino/Shika.   
  
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Shikamaru shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked down the dirt road toward the familiar flower shop. 'How troublesome…' he thought to himself as he inhaled a deep breath and entered the store, a bell rang on the door as he stepped inside.  
  
"Hello Shikamaru. Can I help you with something?" Ino's mother asked him as he walked up to the counter.   
  
"Can I have some of whatever Ino's favorite flowers are?" He muttered. Ino's mother raised an eyebrow but wandered over and picked out some daffodils. Shikamaru took them and paid her.  
  
"Shall…shall I get Ino for you?" She asked. Shikamaru sighed and nodded his head lazily. Ino's mom walked in to the back room and moments later a young blonde girl came bounding out.   
  
"Shikamaru you lazy bum! You didn't even tell me you ad Choji were leaving!" She yelled but then smiled widely.   
  
"Can we go for a walk?" He asked her. She nodded and then studied the flowers in his hand. They walked out the door onto the street when the curiosity finally got to her.   
  
"Are those flowers for me?" She asked and smiled.  
  
"So self centered…" He sighed.  
  
"Eh?!" Ino said, her eyes widening with anger. She exhaled and softened, while looking at the ground. "Sorry."  
  
"Don't be. I am," Shikamaru said.  
  
"Sakura told me where you went…"Ino said "To get Sauske that is." Shikamaru nodded as they came to the forest edge and walked in.   
  
"I'm sure she's happy Naruto and Sauske are back. She was worried," Ino continued trying to make conversation. He only nodded again.  
  
"Hinata is probably happy Kiba and Neji are back also…" Ino said.  
  
"Uh huh," Shikamaru answered as they came to a clearing, he stopped and Ino almost crashed into him at his suddenness.   
  
"H…here," He said thrusting the flowers to Ino.   
  
"I knew they were for me," She smirked.   
  
"Heh, yeah," He said.  
  
"Hey, Shika-kun?" Ino asked.   
  
"Yes?" He blushed.  
  
"Where's Choji? Why did you come without him after finally returning? That fat ass! He's off eating and wouldn't even come to see me so I could welcome him back," Ino said getting mad but then stopped her self and looked up at Shikamaru. "I…I was worried." Shikamaru blushed and looked away. 'Ack this isn't like me. What is going on, I have to stop blushing.' He thought. "Well…let's go find him, so we can all hang out," Ino said tugging on Shikamaru's hand.   
  
"Ino-chan…" He said shaking his head a bit, looking straight into her eyes.  
  
"What?" She asked confused by the sad look on his face, very uncharacteristic of him, like he was about to break.   
  
"He's…" Shikamaru said looking for the right words. He gulped looking up toward the sky.  
  
"What?!" She said with a more frantic tone in her voice.   
  
"Ino…Choji….he died," He said then closed his eyes, moving his head downward. Ino's eyes widened and he heard her gasp. He opened his eyes to see hers welling up with tears, she fell against his chest and started to sob. His eyes widened as he thought of what to do, but he soon relaxed and wrapped his arms comfortingly around her, resting his head on hers, he unconsciously rubbed her back.   
  
"Why…how?!" He yelled into him, her body now racking from sobs. "What did he do to deserve to die?" She said as she punched a weak fist on his chest. He let out a sigh and felt her knees go weak, only standing because he was holding her up. He dropped to the ground, Ino now on his lap, still crying on him. He looked at the flowers now scattered on the ground around them.   
  
"Ino, stop crying. You're a ninja. A shinobe. Just stop," He said in a monotone voice.   
  
"How can you say that? This isn't just a death. This is Choji!" She screamed, tears streaming out her eyes. "Shikamaru…."  
  
"Don't you think I know?" He said. "But Choji wouldn't want us sitting here bawling our eyes out."  
  
"What happened out there dammit!" She yelled and Shikamaru sighed.  
  
"He fought solo so we could go after Sauske. He won but he died doing it. He saved us all, he died a hero Ino. Neji…He died also..." Shikamaru muttered. She threw herself back at him and they were now lying on the ground, Ino once again sobbing on him.   
  
"It's just us now. No more Choji…only us left in our team. If you had died before, when you stayed behind so Sakura and Naruto could stop Sauske from fighting Gaara. If Asuma-sensei hadn't gotten there. It would be just me…" Ino said burying her face in Shikamaru's shirt. "Please…please don't leave me Shikamaru." She sobbed.   
  
"Don't be stupid. I'll never leave you…" He reasoned while closing his eye's tightly, holding back tears. He couldn't cry in front of Ino she needed support, not some stupid boy crying. He thought back to when Asuma-sensei had saved her. How he felt before he thought he would be killed. Had Choji felt that way? Had he not wanted to die because he had a dream? All Shikamaru wanted was to be an okay ninja with and okay salary. He wanted a normal girl and two kids. A girl, then a boy. Then when the girl got married and the boy independent he'd have an easy retirement. He wanted that girl to be Ino. 'What am I thinking. Ino? That'll be the day when she gives up Sauske for me…' He thought. He gathered Ino in his arms and then leaned her against a tree while he picked up her flowers for her. He grouped them together and passed them to her, her shaky hand taking them.   
  
"Let's head back," Shikamaru said. Ino stood up but the fell back down. She wiped her tears on her sleeve. Shikamaru went over to her and bent down. Ino getting the hint wrapped her arms around his neck and he stood up putting his arms under her legs, he carried her piggy back toward the village.   
  
'Thanks Shika," Ino whispered resting her head on his shoulder.   
  
"For what," He mumbled.  
  
"For being there," She replied.   
  
"I'll always be there for you," He said and blushed as she kissed his cheek and then fell asleep on his shoulder.   
  
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I hope you all liked that. Even though Choji and Neji die technically it they never really clarified that they have yet in the manga so I hope theyre not died and get saved or something! Lol, when I read Choji "die" I bawled my eyes out and I really hope he's not and yeah. Please review!!! 


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